103

for the Registration from the United Kingdom
to Nova Scotia.

I annex a Table showing the several British
Colonies and the Foreign Countries to which
Letters sent from the United Kingdom may at
present be registered, and the amount of the
fee in each case.

I request that you will inform me, at your
earliest convenience, whether your Government
is willing to assent to these proposals.

I have, &c.,

H. LABOUCHERE;.

Governor Gore Browne, C.B.

TABLE showing the several British Colonies and
Foreign Countries to which letters, sent from the
United Kingdom, may at present be registered, and
the amount of the fee in each case:—

| Colony or Foreign
Country. | Registration
Fee from
United King-
dom. | Observations
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| | s. | d. | |
| Hong Kong, Gibraltar,
Malta, Antigua, Baha-
mas, Berbice, Demerara,
Dominica, Grenada, Hon-
duras, Jamaica, Mont-
serrat, Nevis, St. Vin-
cent, St. Lucia, St.
Kitts, Tortola and To-
bago | 0 | 6 | |
| France and Algeria, or the
following countries, the
correspondence of which
is forwarded, as a rule,
through France. viz., the
places in Turkey (A) Sy-
ria, or Egypt, at which
France maintains Post-
Offices, Luxemburg, Ba-
den, Bavaria, Wurtem-
burg, Sardinia, Switzer-
land, Salonica, Tunis,
and Tangiers, Tuscany,
Parma, and Modena,
Papal States, Two Sici-
lies, and Greece | | | (A) Alexandria, Jaf-
fa, Beyrout, Tri-
poli in Syria, La-
takia, Alexandret-
ta,
Mersina,
Rhodes, Smyrna,
Mytilene, Darda-
nelles, Gallipoli,
and Constantino-
ple, including
Scutari |
| Any of the following coun-
tries, if sperially, ad-
dressed via France, viz.,
the Netherlands, Prussia,
(B) German States, Han-
over, Saxony, Mecklen-
burg-Schwerin, Mecklen-
burg-Strelitz, Brunswick,
Oldenburg (the Princi-
pality of Birkenfeld ex-
cepted); Anhalt, Austrian
Dominions, Servia, Den-
mark, Moldavia, Walla-
chia, Turkey in Europe
(the places at which
France maintains Post-
Offices excepted) via
Austria, Sweden, Nor-
way, Poland, and Russia | An addi-
tional
amount
exactly
equal to
the amount
of postage
British and
Foreign. | |
| Prussia, or any of the fol-
lowing countries, when
not addressed via France,
(C) German States, Han-
over, Saxony, Mecklen-
burg-Schwerin, Mecklen-
burg-Strelitz, Brunswick,
Oldenburg (the Princi-
pality of Birkenfeld ex-
cepted) Anhalt, Austrian
Dominions, Servia, the
Ionian Islands, Denmark,
Moldavia, Wallacia, Tur-
key in Europe, (the
places at which France
maintains Post Offices
excepted), via Austria,
Sweden and Norway | 0 | 9 | |

Any of the following coun-
tries, if specially ad-
dressed via Prussia, via
Luxemburg. Baden, Ba-
varia, Wurtemburg,
Sardiniay Switzerland,
Papal States and Greece

Belgium and the Nether-
lands

Russia and Poland | (D)1 | 0 | 6 | (D) a registered let-
ter for Russia
and Poland is lia-
ble to three fees,
viz.,
d.
British 6
Prussian 3
Russian 3½
but this last (the
Russian fee) in-
creases according
to the weight of
the letter, 3d.
being charged
when the letter
does not exceed
half an ounce;
7d when it weighs
more than half an
ounce, but does
not exceed one
ounce, and SO
on; according to
the British scale

United States | 0 | 6 |

Note—This Table is only applicable to Letters addressed to
the several places specified when sent through the United
Kingdom.

General Post Office, London,
20th February, 1857.

SIR,—The Postmaster-General considers it
desirable that, under the new plan of com-
pulsory prepayment of postage, some general
rule should be laid down with respect to re-
directed Letters.

A Letter arriving from New Zealand ad-
dressed to this country, and redirected back to
the Colony, should now, in the ordinary course,
be treated as a Dead Letter, in consequence of
the postage due for its conveyance hence to
New Zealand not being prepaid, and should be
returned with other Dead Letters to Auck-
land.

As this course, however, would only lead to
the return of the Letter to the writer instead
of to its delivery to the person addressed,
while neither the Revenue of this Office nor of
the Colonial Post Office would benefit by this
proceeding, it seems advisable to come to some
understanding on the subject.

The Postmaster-General proposes that, in-
stead of treating such Letters as Dead Letters,
they should, in future, be forwarded in the
Mails without charge, leaving your Office to
collect and retain the postage due for their
conveyance. .

At the same time, His Grace desires me to
request that you will be so good as to cause a
like course to be adopted at your Office with
respect to Letters originating in England,